Rockies at Padres

Already reminded of their diminished potential atop the mound, the Padres embarked Tuesday evening through a growing haze of uncertainty. Earlier in the day, news of Josh Johnson’s imminent visit to orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews amplified concerns of another lost season for the former All-Star. Then, closer to first pitch, the Padres scratched Everth Cabrera, their most recent All-Star, with right knee soreness.

It is an ailment currently shared by Chase Headley. While the third baseman continues to play through evident discomfort, the left side of the infield provides cause for concern, given that both starters are now at less than full strength.

Minus Cabrera for the first time this season, the Padres fell, 3-2, to the Rockies. Faced with that inconvenience last season, they went 28-39. They were 48-47 with Cabrera topping the lineup, the shortstop proving most valuable afield and at the plate.

Through 14 games this year, the Padres have won six times. They have relied on their pitching and the kind of timely offense that dissipated after the first inning Tuesday.

Against Rockies starter Juan Nicasio, they produced four consecutive hits, quite literally, right off the bat.

Will Venable, moving from seventh to first in the order, cranked a leadoff double. Alexi Amarista, replacing Cabrera at shortstop, rolled an infield single up the middle. Seth Smith laced an RBI single to right-center. Jedd Gyorko threaded another run-scoring single through the right side.

Nicasio avoided having to throw his 32nd pitch when Yonder Alonso lined into an inning-ending double play. From there, the right-hander settled in as his offense surged.

Following a perfect first inning, Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin thrice allowed singles in the second, D.J. LeMahieu’s knock driving in Troy Tulowitzki. In the fourth, Tulowitzki doubled, advanced to third on Wilin Rosario’s single, and trotted home for the tie on Nolan Arenado’s sacrifice fly.

With two outs in the fifth, Padres manager Bud Black, playing the matchup, replaced Erlin with Tim Stauffer. But the right-hander walked Tulowitzki to load the bases, whereupon Rosario smacked an infield chopper that glanced off Stauffer’s glove and dribbled toward second base. A charging Amarista could not make the bare-handed scoop-and-throw as the Rockies’ third run crossed the plate.

Erlin, making his second start of the season and his first ever against the Rockies, struck out seven over 4 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs on six hits.

In the bottom of the fifth, Venable singled with two outs, collecting the Padres’ first hit since the opening frame. He would be summarily erased, thrown out attempting to steal second, though television replays appeared to show the opposite. Black, who successfully enacted the Padres’ first challenge Sunday, immediately jogged out of the dugout. But after a brief deliberation with second base umpire Laz Diaz, the skipper opted not to call for a review.

Meantime, Padres hitting coach Phil Plantier was ejected as the inning ended for arguing a called strike on a high fastball to the 5-foot-5 Amarista, who had drawn a 3-and-0 count.

Amarista came to the plate again in the seventh, with two outs and the bases full. His first-pitch swing, on Boone Logan’s 91 mph two-seamer, merely resulted in a threat-squelching force-out.